Details

The Taiwan Research Programme (TRP) has invited Dr Michael Danielsen to present a seminar concerning the work of Taiwan Corner, a membership organization based in Copenhagen that works through briefings, advocacy and public diplomacy to inform civil society and political interests concerning Taiwan. The advocacy group works through its website [External link], through media work and personal contact. Dr Danielsen sees opportunity 'in the dormant support for Taiwan among politicians and the public, which can be', he argues, 'awakened with a strong public relations strategy.'

In the past five years Taiwan Corner has had direct contact with Danish government and EU institutions and has sought to represent Taiwanese interests in those circles, as well as providing briefings, information and articles in European and Taiwanese media. In recent years, some casework has involved defending the civil and human rights of European citizens against arbitrary action by the Taiwan government.

Taiwan’s ambiguous and difficult international situation has led the island to be called 'the Forbidden Nation'. Taiwan Corner’s work is done against the backdrop of an official representation of East Asian geo-political affairs constrained by a “One-China Policy”, interpreted variously by European governments, and at the EU level.

The TRP believe that this seminar and the following Roundtable raise issues of keen interest not just for scholars with an academic interest in Taiwan, but also serves as a valuable case-study for scholars concerned with political process of civil society advocacy, lobbying, and foreign policy formation at national, EU and global levels.

About Dr Michael Danielsen

Established in January 2008, Taiwan Corner is a membership association that provides information and briefings about the island in support of Taiwan's democracy, right to self-determination and membership of all international organisations.

Dr Danielsen has given many public lectures about Taiwan affairs, is a frequent commentator in the Danish and Taiwanese media, and is the author of a chapter about Taiwan's identity in the book National Identity and Economic Interest: Taiwan's competing options and their implications for regional stability (ed. Peter C.Y. Chow, Palgrave Macmillan, 2012).

During the 2012 elections he was invited by International Committee for Fair Elections in Taiwan (ICFET) to be an election observer.

Dr Danielsen is a board member of the Danish-Taiwan Association. Active in the Danish Social Democratic Party, he serves as Chairman of the Party’s International Committee in the capital region , and as Chairman of the research and technology committee.

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